Career advice

What’s it like working as a nursing associate in 2026?

Almost ten years after its pilot, the nursing associate (NA) role in England has grown to include more than 13,000 professionals on the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register, positioned between healthcare support workers and registered nurses. We look at the opportunities and challenges of the role so far, and ask NAs and lecturers how it could be developed further.

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Illustration of a bridge presented as puzzle pieces, with healthcare assistant on one side, nurse on the other, and nursing associate the missing piece in the middle

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